Man finds thousands of abandoned vintage cars in Japan’s Fukushima disaster zone
- Fukushima was the scene one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters
- Thousands of people had to leave everything behind overnight
- Some of them left behind some truly impressive cars
Published on Aug 30, 2024 at 6:44 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 02, 2024 at 11:10 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Several cars were left behind in Fukushima after the nuclear disaster.
It’s been over 10 years but – because of the half-life of radioactive particles – some of these areas will remain uninhabitable for centuries.
Unfortunately, this also means owners can’t go back to get their cars.
Some of these gorgeous classics will just keep rusting away here.
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Some incredible cars were left behind
A YouTuber who goes by Exploring the Beaten Path decided to go explore the Fukushima exclusion zone, and he found some pretty remarkable cars.
He found several amazing Japanese icons such as the Nissan Skyline, Honda S2000 and 300ZX.
He also found several European classics, including a Porsche 911, and some unique, heavily modified cars, as well as some everyday cars that people simply left behind.
Fukushima was the worst disaster since Chernobyl
The Fukushima nuclear accident was one of the worst in history, and the worst since Chernobyl in 1986.
After reactor number four exploded, the radioactive cloud expanded northbound due to strong winds.
As a result, the neighboring town of Pripyat was badly affected, even worse than Chernobyl.
In Chernobyl, just like in Fukushima, there’s now a massive graveyard of abandoned vehicles.
In the wake of the disaster, first responders quickly realized they would have to leave all of their vehicles behind.
They did it because they couldn’t bring back vehicles that had been contaminated.
So now, not too far from the nuclear plant, there’s a vast yard with abandoned fire trucks, ambulances and even a tank.
That’s also what happened with the cars in Fukushima.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
